Did you hear eBay is now prohibiting the sale of homeschool curriculum Teacher's Editions?

I just found out when I was going to list my used teacher editions, etc. I always bought and sold curriculum on eBay. I guess not anymore. They claim that it's because teacher's editions are meant to be only used by teachers, and they can't monitor buyers and make sure only teachers buy them. It sounds to me like another one of their subtle liberal attacks against conservative families. No 6th grade kid is going to go on eBay and buy a teacher's edition so he can cheat on his homework with his homeschool teacher/parents around, and no one but a homeschooler would have any use for homeschool teacher editions.

Sorry for the rant, and on only my second post. I'm really not usually complaining and ranting, but this one really bugs me._________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .

Yes, it is insane! I have always relied on buying and selling homeschool curriculum on ebay - especially teacher's editions. They're usually the most expensive part. I'd then buy new workbooks from the publisher.

Yesterday, when I was about to submit a listing for a teacher's edition, this warning came up:

Attention SellersTeacher's editions of textbooks and solutions manuals that are intended solely for use by teachers are not permitted by eBay. This includes materials used for home schooling. Please review your listing to ensure that the items comply with our policy. For more information please review eBay's policy at:

Solutions manuals for teachers, teacher(s) manuals, instructor manuals are prohibited
A hardcopy of a teacher’s edition of a math book
A PDF, TIF version of a teacher’s edition of a textbook
An eBook version of a Teacher’s manual on a CD-R

Items that are allowed:

Solutions manuals for students

Additional Information
Teacher’s Edition textbooks are often clearly labeled as such but if you have any doubts, you should avoid selling the item on eBay. Teacher’s Edition textbooks often have special answer keys, exams, teaching tips, and guides to be solely utilized by the instructors of those courses.
Why does eBay have this policy?
Teachers editions are intended for teacher’s use and eBay believes in limiting the resale of those items as we are not equipped to verify if the buyer is a teacher or not._________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .

It really doesn't make any sense. Does it? Like I said, it's just another way ebay's liberal minded policies take a stab at conservative families. Before we know it, they'll ban the sale of Bibles on ebay!_________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .

I've sold quite a bit on ebay myself and have spoken to other sellers... most everyone is fed up with ebay as it is. The fees have gotten out of hand making most things not worth the time and effort.

Everyone is looking out for the next buying and selling venue. If someone with enough money for advertisement comes forth ebay is done for and its only a matter of time. This is what happens when you try to squeeze blood from a stone._________________www.adollcottage.com

I agree. I run an academic software business website. But I started out on ebay as an educational toys dealer. Four years ago, ebay was great. Competition was fair and the seller fees were "livable". When they raised fees it became impossible to make a profit with competition as fierce as it became. There are so many stupid sellers who are pricing items just a few dollars over cost, that with the ebay fees it's impossible to make a living. As an example - last year I was still using ebay primarily (up until November when I opened my website), and ebay received half of what would have been my profits. And when I sell an item for $1000 and ebay gets $50 and I get to keep $20, that's ridiculous. They made as much (and more in some cases) as I did, and I took all the risk and spent hours everyday running the business. What did eBay do? Nothing except let me use their software. That's not worth $10,000 a year.

It's only a matter of time before ebay does itself in._________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .

You aren't kidding. I mean most things you only would make a few bucks profit, but with the fees the way they are you pretty much break even. I'm not in the business of making ebay money. It wouldn't be so bad if ebay actually provided some kind of service, but they don't protect their buyers and they defiantly don't defend their sellers... so what exactly am I paying for except a classified?

The effects are really starting to show, all markets are down its a buyers market at the moment._________________www.adollcottage.com

You're right. eBay doesn't privide anything but "a classified ad". They claim to offer buyer and seller protection, but the scams going through ebay far outnumber other internet scams. The number of fake emails I receive every day claiming their ebay, but really an attempt to steal passwords, etc. is outrageous. And ebay doesn't do a thing for sellers. You can't imagine how much I've lost because of buyer fraud. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you.

It really is a buyer's market out there. Competition is fierce among sellers, and with gas prices like they are right now buyers aren't buying much and when they are, they go for the lowest price. June was the slowest month we've ever had with our business. Let's hope July and August back to school time will help us catch up._________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .

I agree this policy doesn't make sense, because there is no publisher or book seller out there that attempts to 'verify' whether or not the buyer is a teacher. And since those who buy and sell homeschool curriculum are parents who are usually not 'certified', it does seem to be attack on HSers. I don't see it as attack specifically on conservative families, because there are now nearly as many pagan, gay/lesbian, athiest, liberal HSers as there are conservative Christian HSers.

I wrote a letter to ebay when they initiated this policy, and have never received a reply- that was months ago.

You can still find those things on e-bay. They are from sellers that use alternate descriptions (not listed as teacher's editions) and don't use the ISBN.

You can always list on half.com (does not have the same policy), amazon.com or homeschoolclassifieds.com

I am sure this has more to do with ebay getting pressure from publishers of teacher's materials than them having it in for conservative families._________________AM, homeschooling mom to Drake and Kyllian
www.seilerclan.info

Teacher's editions are expensive, and allowing resale means that less people will buy at full price. That's really all it boils down to. The publisher doesn't care who buys, so long as they buy from the publisher._________________Homeschool Articles - Events - Support Groups

Well, homeschool families usually have to cut corners and run on tight budgets in order to homeschool. Not to mention in most states we pay property taxes that support public school yet we have to pay for all of our own schooling supplies - but that's another thread we could start.

If publishers expect every homeschooling family to start affording to buy the new, high priced, teacher's editions when we already have to buy new workbooks every year, then that's just wrong. They should understand that not every family can afford to buy everything new and be happy we still buy what we can new and use their curriculums.

Still, I have been involved with ebay for over 5 years, and every chance they get, they enact more liberal policies that really make no sense at all.

Here I go again, ranting. I hope I'm not getting off on the wrong foot. Sorry. _________________Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and I will walk in your truth. . .